Inevitable
by Auditory Eden
Summary: Based loosely on Liz Phair's "Why Can't I?" If you don't know the song, you should look it up. Très awesome. This is not a song fic. NejiTen, LeeSaku.


Author: Auditory Eden

Rating: T

Warnings: Mentions of sex, some minor cursing, and unfaithfulness (gasp).

Notes: Based loosely on Liz Phair's "Why Can't I?". That pretty much says it all. This is, wait for it, Neji/Sakura, Tenten/Lee, but also NejiTen and Lee/Sakura. YAY!!! I own nothing

Inevitable

Neji watched from under his lashes as his girlfriend's friend smiled prettily at her boyfriend, the indomitable Rock Lee. He idly thought that she was certainly wasted on him. His eyes closed as he remembered the night before.

Such soft lips...And her long, long hair...it was only barely longer than his. She loved his hair; he loved hers as well. They joked sometimes that the only thing they really had in common was their strange fetish. That wasn't true. They had other things in common as well. They thought on the same wavelength, finishing each other's sentences as early as five. They both loved to train. They were both very specialized ninja, and masters of their fields. They were often exasperated with certain team members. They both liked chocolate ice cream, but not chocolate. They both despaired of lateness, in all it's forms. They both both dated very loudmouthed people...

"Neji," his girlfriend called, poking him back into the real world. He was met with a vision of pastels, green and pink.

He sighed, "Haah...What Sakura?" She shot him an evil look, then sipped her coffee.

Tension bloomed as she waited a few more seconds to inflame his concern, then she spoke, "Tenten-chan says you two were assigned to a two-week-long partner mission. And you were planning on informing me...when, exactly?"

"Later tonight," he shot back smoothly, "so you wouldn't start making a scene when you heard." He caught her glare, and interpreting it correctly, started quickly, "I just meant that I'd have rather told you in private, that's all. Oh and, Tenten? Thanks. Not."

She grinned at him cheekily. "Ne, Neji-kun. I think you should be more prompt about telling your girlfriend things, isn't that right, Sakura-chan, Lee-kun?"

"It is most definitely UNYOUTHFUL to conceal things from your paramour, Neji-kun!!" Lee agreed. Sakura choked. "Lee," she coughed, "don't call me his paramour."

Neji snorted. "Tenten, knowing you, Lee probably wouldn't know if he hadn't been there when we got the dispatch. You have a memory like a sieve."

She frowned at him intensely. "That's a lie, Neji. You know I remember things fine."

"Yes," he said delicately. "You do. For about two seconds." Her face twisted, and he only barely managed to deflect a kunai flying directly for his face. In that time, she had slipped around behind him, and was holding three senbon at his throat. "Say it again," she dared him.

He narrowed his eyes. "Memory," he stated, hands dropping to his sides. "Like a _leaky_ sieve." She growled and moved to send the needles home, but found that Neji was behind her, arms wrapped firmly around her torso, pinning her arms.

"Lee, do you mind?" he asked nonchalantly, passing the disgruntled kunoichi into her boyfriend's grasp.

"I said you were forgetful. I just finished that technique, and _you _helped me," Neji told her. Tenten's waist-length hair was slipping from it's bun's. "I will _so _pay you back for this, Hyuuga," she growled. He smiled slightly at her. "See you tomorrow, Lee. Tenten, be on time."

Sakura shook her head, short hair whispering over her face, a huge grin on her lips. "Bye Tenten-chan, Lee-kun!" He slipped an arm around her waist as he escorted her out the door.

Tenten was slowly turning purple in Lee's arms. "Tenten-chan? Are you alright?" he asked, concerned, then released her. She took a gasping breath, then muttered, without any real heat, "Bastard."

xXx

"Anything else you want to tell about the mission?" Sakura questioned.

He sighed, and pulled her close. "It's supposed to be our...entrance exam, of sorts...for ANBU."

"...Ah..." She stayed silent for a moment. "D'you...you know....d'you want to come in?" His eye caught hers.

"Sakura..." His watch began to beep. Seven PM. He quickly shut it off, and shook his head. "Not tonight. I have training very early tomorrow."

"With Tenten-chan? She sees more of you than I do at this point," she pouted. He laughed and said, "Well you see Lee more than she does at this point, what with all the time he spends injured." He lowered his head so they were eye-to-eye. "Don't think I care more for her than you. We've just been training partners since we were twelve. I can't break that kind of tradition just because I'm dating someone. Even if that someone is you. Besides, Gai-sensei would kill me and make me walk around the village on my hands." She smiled

"G'night, Neji," she opened the door to her apartment, but he pulled her back quickly. "Good night, Sakura," he said, then kissed her. He released her, and watched as she closed the door after her. A small sigh escaped his lips. "I'm sorry..."

xXx

Tenten stood outside the door to Lee's apartment, laughing over a joke he'd just told her. "And then—" he broke off, laughing, "And then Kakashi-san said, 'the only girls Jiraya's ever been with are blind paraplegics'!" Tenten took a deep breath. "I don't doubt it," she returned, tiredly. A glance at her watch told her it was seven fifteen.

"Well, `night Lee. I'll see you tomorrow!" She told him brightly.

"YES! Shall we youthfully train together in a youthful training love match?" Lee grinned comically. "I'm sure Neji wouldn't mind."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, he would. Besides, you do _want_ us to get into ANBU, don't you? We'll need to train more than ever...You should know that. I'll train with you after our mission. I promise," she gently scolded him. He stepped inside his apartment, leaning out to peck Tenten quickly on the cheek. "Good night, dear flower," he said, just a touch wearily.

"Good night, and don't forget to take your calcium supplement. Sakura-chan says you have to if want less broken bones."

He smiled again. "You are like my mother, Tenten-chan." He touched her shoulder to show he meant no harm, then retreated.

Tenten bit her lip. "I don't know why I do this to you...I'm so sorry, Lee..."

xXx

Neji strode out to the tree, the place he and Tenten always meditated in the mornings. She wasn't there yet. He told himself that this was because she and Lee had not yet left the café when He left with Sakura. That she wasn't tired of them having to sneak around after dark, behind the backs of their significant others.

Quick, running footsteps echoed up the path to the training spot, and Neji stood up quickly. She ran out from between two trees, face flushed, eyes bright, and hair slipping out of buns.

He took two steps forward and met her in a deep kiss. Tongues touched, and he heard her gasp softly as he ran his hands down her sides. Her lips faltered on his.

"Neji...this..." she looked at him with tears in her eyes.

He finished her sentence. "It's not right." He sighed. "I know. But I love you."

"I love you, you know that," she took a shuddering breath. "But why can't we just...I mean, Lee would just bounce back like he did after Hinata dumped him, and Sakura's always been good with breakups. I mean, Sasuke, Naruto, and that thing she had with what's-his-name the Chunin from Sand. The one who runs errands for Gaara..."

"I don't know..." Neji let that hang in the air. "I don't know why. But I thought...You know. I thought Sakura was..."

"The _one_, the love of your life, etc.?" Tenten finished. "I know. I thought that about Lee, too. But after..."

"That kiss..." he continued softly.

"It all just came into focus. It's _you_, Neji." She slid her hand into his. He cradled it, examining her fingertips.

"Sakura's fingers are so smooth. She doesn't work with weapons—real weapons, senbon don't really count—and she moisturizes constantly." He kissed each knuckle and fingertip. He whispered the next part. "Yours feel better. You feel real, not fake, and you don't smell like hand sanitizer." She giggled.

"What do I smell like, then?" she asked curiously.

He paused, looking her in the eye. Then he bent and nestled his face into the crook of her neck. "Neji, what are you—" she giggled again.

"Shhh. I'm analyzing your smell," he shushed her. His hands found her shoulders, gripping them lightly. "Mmmm...You smell like...Tenten," he finished simply. He pulled back and smiled faintly. She started at him in disbelief.

"You know, you're supposed to say something like, 'You smell like fresh cut flowers on a summer day,' or something. You are so unromantic."

Neji wrinkled his nose slightly. "Fresh cut flowers? Why would you want to smell like _that_?"

"It's a girl thing, Neji. You're hopeless." She hugged him, snuggling into his chest. "For example, you smell like...hm...that sandalwood incense you burn for your dad...a bit like dust, which is probably because you don't clean and you don't _let_ anyone else but me...and you smell like your sweat, which is a really nice smell...and you smell faintly of bird droppings, probably because you spend so much time with your family's pigeons."

"They aren't pigeons. They're doves," he corrected her.

"Same difference. Either way, you smell like them." She laughed.

Once again, he set his head on her shoulder, inhaling. He sank so they sat against the tree. "You smell like metal polish, your sweat, a perfume I'm pretty sure you got from Hinata, since she wears the same one...and you smell like sheets." She laughed again.

"Well, it's better than, 'You smell like Tenten'..." she returned. He held her quietly for a moment, then kissed her full on the lips. She sighed softly, and both their breathing speeded up as their kiss grew deeper. His hand rested lightly on her stomach for a moment, then began worming it's way under her shirt, up towards her chest. She slapped him away.

"Not _here_," she admonished him. He stood, pulling her to her feet, and they shared another kiss before she drew him off towards her house. He raised hi eyebrows. They Hyuuga compound was closer. "More private," she pointed out. He nodded, then took the lead, their hands still intertwined. "I love you Neji...." "I love you, too..."

xXx

"Neji, Naruto saw you with Tenten," Sakura told him, her voice pained. He blinked.

"Sakura, I spend just slightly more than twelve hours a day in her presence on average. That's hardly a difficult thing to see."

She shook her head, her eyebrows dipping in the middle. "No, Neji. He saw you _with _ her. As in...Well...kissing her. According to Naruto, you two met at the training grounds last night. You made out, then went to one of your houses. And something about a smell....but I didn't quite catch that part. I think he told Lee, too. What happened?"

Neji stared at his girlfriend. Someone had seen. _Someone had seen! _

He closed his eyes. "What do you want me to say, Sakura. That we didn't? I can't deny that and still be telling you the truth."

She gasped, and she took a shaky breath. "Just this once or..."

He shook his head, then said, "For a while, actually." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Sakura..."

"You bastard...you were cheating on me? Just yesterday night you said you were only...!" Tears were running down her face. "You told me you loved me..." she trailed off.

"I did," Neji said. "But...then I realized that..."

"You love her." She finished for him.

He bit his lip and spoke as pleadingly as he could manage, "Sakura...I thought you were the one, I really did. But there was...well, the accident at Ino's party. Remember? When she tripped and we kissed? I saw how much I love her...She's the love of my life, and I know it. I'm sorry, but..." He trailed off. Sakura looked at him coolly.

"There's only one way I can possibly see me forgiving you. First, have you two ever had sex?" He shook his head mutely. She sighed. "Second...this." Sakura slapped him hard.

Rubbing his cheek, he peered at her. "Have you forgiven me?  
"Not yet. I probably wont for a while. You can go now." He turned and began to walk away. She called to him, "By the way, we are no longer involved. Go ask her out or something."

xXx

"Tenten! TENTEN!!!" She winced as Lee charged up to her. "Tenten! Is it true that you and Neji-kun have been carrying out an AFFAIR?!" Tenten turned to stare at him in disbelief.

"Wha—Where is this coming from...?" she asked weakly.

Lee frowned heavily. "Naruto-kun says he saw you two making out in the woods last night. Is this true? Tenten?" She gaped. Naruto. Naruto was the one who'd spilled it.

"Lee..." she paused. "And how would you react if I said it was?" His face crumpled. A stab of guilt pierced Tenten's heart.

"You...my dear flower...were carrying out an AFFAIR with my longtime rival??? I told you it is UNYOUTHFUL TO CONCEAL THINGS FROM YOUR PARAMOUR!!!" He looked up at her tearily. "Was I not good enough for my dear flower?"

"No, Lee...It wasn't you...it was him...I've...I've loved Neji-kun for a very long time. I just didn't realize it until that Halloween party Ino hosted. I—we didn't mean...to..." she broke off. "I'm so, so sorry, Lee-kun."

"I will beat Neji-kun into a YOUTHFUL PULP! And if he ever hurts you, I will DO IT AGAIN!!!"

"Why am I being beaten into a pulp twice?"

Tenten gasped, swiveling. "Neji-kun!" She paused bit her lip and stammered, "Lee found... I mean Naruto told...I—someone saw...."

"I know."

Her eyes widened. "Sakura?"  
He winced. "She hit me." Tenten winced as well, because Sakura was known for her slaps of death, doom, and most importantly, destruction.

Lee had had enough, and charged in, fist raised. "YOU MUST BE BEATEN TO A PULP! AND THEN YOU MUST RUN ONE THOUSAND LAPS OF KONOHA ON YOUR HANDS!!! ONLY THEN SHALL YOU BE YOUTHFUL AGAIN!!!!!" he yelled, by way of a battle cry. He dove at Neji, who sidestepped him.

Now Lee addressed Tenten. "TENTEN, MY DEAR FLOWER!! I WILL NOT LOOSE THE BATTLE FOR YOUR HEART!"

"But Lee...I love Neji! Okay? Maybe you should go ask out that girl at the ice cream place. She totally has I crush on you, I'm sure!"

He paused momentarily. "Really? Amako-san likes me? She is very pretty, even if she is not a kunoichi..."

"Definitely. I'm certain." Wringing her hands, she shooed him away.

Post departure, Neji looked at her.

"Sakura also broke up with me," he added.

"Are you saying...you'd be willing to make it official?" she asked tentatively.

Neji's eyes widened a fraction. "Of course I would," he growled. She smiled brightly. "Well then...I guess the only thing left to say is..." she leaned forward and kissed him.

After they broke the kiss, he asked, "So, what do you need to say?" She rolled her eyes. "It was the kiss, silly. I don't know why they call you a genius."

He smiled amusedly. "Well, you were right. There is one more thing to say. Tenten...would you marry me?"

Tenten's jaw dropped. "I didn't mean quite that official....but um....sure."

He smiled a bit wider, then kissed her forehead. "Why deny the inevitable?"

xXx

"TENTEN-CHAN!!! YOUTHFUL FLOWER! YOUTHFUL NEJI-KUN!!!!"

"What, Lee?"

"AMAKO-SAN DID NOT ACCEPT ME!"

"Then why are you so..."

"Gosh darn happy?"

"BECAUSE MY YOUTHFUL SAKURA-CHAN HAS ACCEPTED MY LOVE AT LAST!!!"

*cricket, cricket*

"Good for you, Lee...

"I'm so happy for you. So's Neji. Aren't you, Neji?"  
"Hn. Thrilled."

"MY YOUTHFUL SAKURA-CHAN SAYS SHE HAS LOVED ME LONGER THAN EVEN NEJI-KUN! I HAVE BEATEN YOU AND CLAIMED THE LOVE OF MY DEAR YOUTHFUL CHERRY BLOSSOM!!!"

"Er...good."

"Why don't you go talk to _her _then?"

"Oh thank god, he's gone."

xXx

Parting Comments: Not loving the ending. I haven't felt compelled to write like this is ages. This thing practically wrote itself....Ah well, I have to get up at 4.15 AM tomorrow for my class trip to Philly. So...that's that.

07/06

Ah, school's out and I'm actually posting this (note that it was written on 06/16). And yes, the trip to Philly was awesome. And yes, I am actually still writing, contrary to popular belief. I'm just being slow about it. So please don't kill me.

Hugs and Kisses

Eden


End file.
